


Relentless

by Leitm0tif



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Amputation, Disability, Disabled Character, Gen, Happy Ending, Healthy Relationships, M/M, Physical Disability, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-28
Updated: 2014-06-28
Packaged: 2018-02-06 13:43:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1860153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leitm0tif/pseuds/Leitm0tif
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata may have new challenges to work with since his accident, but he's not giving up. With friends (and a boyfriend) like his, how could anything be impossible?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Relentless

**Author's Note:**

> Hi so!!  
> I have not written anything in a while and I feel incredibly rusty. I hope this is passable. My buddy Thea (ryugazaking on Tumblr) was talking about how someone wrote fic about Hinata losing his legs and it was too sad for her, so I decided it didn't have to be sad basically. Here's a thing.

In spite of everything, of how hard this had been on all of them, Kageyama found the days returning to normal as time passed.  
  
This happened for a few reasons, he figured. Necessity, for one. Harsh as it sounded, it was pointless at best, detrimental at worst to continue to put life on hold over the accident. Tsukishima had said something to that effect- bluntly, true to form- and had received backlash; it was a sensitive topic, and it was hard to hear, but Kageyama thought everyone agreed in their own ways. (Hinata agreed. Hinata wasn’t putting anything on hold. But Hinata was also an idiot.) He still didn’t want to hear it from Tsukishima, but that was irrelevant.  
  
But it wasn’t only that. It was also that Kageyama had come to realize that this was not his burden.  
  
He hadn’t told anyone about this revelation, and part of him preferred things to be that way. When he really thought about it, it seemed selfish to mope, and not in anyone’s best interest. Certainly not in Hinata’s, and that was what he cared about. Hinata radiated positivity and hope and trust, even now that the situation seemed impossible. How would it help Hinata to act like he was in mourning? It wouldn’t. That wasn’t what Hinata wanted, and he made that very clear. If Kageyama slacked on schoolwork or played lethargically because his thoughts were elsewhere- with the accident- he got an earful about it later.  
  
At first it was annoying and illogical, but then Kageyama backed off and actually sat down and thought about it. If he cared so much about Hinata, then even if he thought Hinata was wrong and stupid, he had to support him. He was going to do that. Because it wasn’t his legs, and it wasn’t his disability or his trauma. He couldn’t put himself before Hinata. Once he thought of it that way, something calmed inside of him, and things became close to normal again.  
  
It was sort of hard to balance this with managing the rest of his days, though, the parts not related to volleyball or to Hinata and his recovery. News of the accident had spread like wildfire, and the first person anyone went to for an update on the situation was Kageyama. He responded to this differently depending on who asked. This meant that most people got a cursory, “he’s fine”, and nothing else. If it was a friend of Hinata’s- Hinata was pretty great at making friends, so these came in pretty considerable numbers- they might talk about it a bit more. He was occasionally given a gift or a card to bring to Hinata on his next visit.  
  
But a lot of times, gross information seemed more appealing than fact, and that made Kageyama angrier than he would like to admit.  
  
Stupid fucking bullshit rumors. Shit about Hinata. It made him so angry, hearing people get kicks and thrills from ideas like that about the boy he loved, making it into a horror story. They made up excessive, gory details about the accident. They blamed Hinata, or they blamed Kageyama or Daichi or the whole team, if they could, and fabricated situations to suit that. When it first happened, the gruesome whispers were all anyone heard, and everyone assumed Hinata hadn’t made it. When it was still an open wound, Kageyama responded to that kind of idiocy with aggression, because it could’ve been true, and that scared him.  
  
Hinata took it graciously. He asked Kageyama to report to him about the rumors. When he was told, he reacted in a few ways, depending; subdued laughter, mild grumpiness, sometimes matter-of-fact criticism. But he was never angry or sad. Invariably, he said something like, “Enough about that, let’s eat!”  
  
Kageyama was starting to see that he didn’t have to protect Hinata as much as he once thought.  
  
He didn’t have to carry his burdens for him, he didn’t have to fight his battles for him. He just… had to toss to him, and let Hinata spike. He had to support, do his best, and let Hinata shine. That was when they were best together.  
  
-  
  
So naturally, Hinata had set very high goals for his recovery.  
  
That’s what they called it at Hinata’s appointments, which Kageyama almost always attended with him (at Hinata’s request). While they sat together in the doctor’s office, Hinata’s hand held tightly in Kageyama’s, the doctor asked what Hinata’s goals were, because that was a good place to start.  
  
Hinata hesitated, and that was a bit worrisome. But quickly, he recovered and smiled easily, only a small edge of doubt creeping into his voice.  
  
“I want to go back to playing volleyball as soon as possible! I still have so much to learn, it can’t be over yet!”  
  
No one shared in Hinata’s optimism. He had said this exact thing to everyone who asked about the future; had loudly proclaimed it in the gymnasium during one of his visits, in fact. But it seemed like such a stretch. No one on the team had ever met anyone with this kind of situation, so they didn’t know how realistic it was, per se, but it just seemed like Hinata’s childish optimism and enthusiasm. He had been let down gently so many times. Daichi, Sugawara, their coach, his doctors. They all cautioned him.  
  
He might never jump or run like he used to. Kageyama wasn’t sure of how aware of this Hinata actually was. But as time went on, he realized that Hinata wasn’t lacking in self-awareness, and no matter what Kageyama said about him, he wasn’t stupid. He knew. He had just made up his mind, and he wasn’t going to budge until he attained his goal. Like everything else. Kageyama hated to admit that his positivity was just a little bit infectious.  
  
But that felt so long ago now.  
  
-  
  
“You have to finish your dinner, you know. If you’re going to practice with us tomorrow, you can’t skip meals.”  
  
Hinata squirmed around in a vaguely tantrumy way under his blanket. He kept flicking through channels, making huge puppy eyes at the screen, presumably figuring Kageyama would see them, that Kageyama was watching. He was, of course. “I’m too nervous! And excited. If I eat too much I’m gonna puke all over the place. Maybe on Tanaka’s pants again.”  
  
“If you don’t eat, you’ll pass out and hit your head on the gym floor, and then we’ll be bringing you back to the hospital. Idiot.” He shoved a piece of chicken at Hinata with his chopsticks, which Hinata whined about, but eventually he gave in and ate the chicken. Kageyama hadn’t thought he’d honestly resist food for long. The remote was eventually abandoned to somewhere in the tangle of sheets and they settled on a sports channel, though it looked like basketball was on.  
  
Kageyama got Hinata to eat on his own, then focused on more important things. From his spot next to the other boy, he rested his chin on Hinata’s shoulder, his hand on his thigh. This got a big smile from Hinata, who sort of awkwardly bumped his head against Kageyama’s in acknowledgement while eating big mouthfuls of rice and vegetables. Ridiculous.  
  
Hinata’s skin was so soft- it was perfect. Kageyama ran his thumb back and forth over his thigh while he ate and chattered and watched basketball with minimal interest.  
  
Eventually, Kageyama slid his arm around Hinata and squeezed.  
  
“I know you’re ready for tomorrow,” he said firmly, under his breath. “You’re ready for anything.”  
  
Hinata blinked, a slow smile tracing over his lips. He kissed the top of Kageyama’s head, sliding his own arm around the other boy and squeezing him back, his fingers dancing under the edge of Kageyama’s shirt just a little. Just seeking warmth and contact.  
  
“Thank you… for always believing in me,” he whispered. And nothing could’ve stopped Kageyama from kissing him after that.  
  
-  
  
It had taken so much work. None of it had come naturally. It was like relearning to walk; it was like relearning how to navigate his whole life. Physical therapy hurt sometimes, and learning to jump and run again made the strain even worse. It was hard and scary. But with Kageyama supporting him, he knew it was going to be okay, because there was no other choice. He was going to make it okay.

Hinata was so stricken by how much he loved his friends during the whole thing. He was stricken every time they came to visit with stories and jokes and presents. He loved when his room was full of them and their laughter. Deep in his core, he felt that there could be no better team than this. He was so lucky. He was so happy and loved and in love and he was going to make it work. He was going to make it okay.  
  
He took a big, deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut and letting pictures flicker through his head. He heard practice starting, but he needed this for just a moment. He needed to remember what it was like, what it looked like to be at the top of the net. He was going to jump and run and maybe it wasn’t going to be perfect right now, but someday, he knew he would see that sight again.  
  
His throat tight with anticipation, Hinata stood, the prosthetics bearing his weight loyally. He hadn’t liked them at first. They looked ugly and strange, not like legs at all. They were like hooks or stilts or something. But when Kageyama touched them, even kissed them once, just below where his knee ended- that won him over. (Well, that and watching videos of those cool professional athletes run with legs just like his! That was helpful too.)  
  
Hinata looked towards the door of the gym, then started walking. He walked with confidence and strength, and maybe some of it was put on- maybe a lot of it was. But it was hard to tell the happiness he made from the happiness that came naturally, and why couldn’t it all be the same?  
  
He swallowed hard, took a few more deep breaths, and opened the door.


End file.
